TROY — The Troy Police Department has received a $71,790 grant from the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s Office of Criminal Justice Services, which will be used to pay for data storage of videos from officers’ body-worn cameras.

“Storing the hours of footage picked up by our cameras every day is the most expensive piece of our new body-worn camera program,” Troy Police Chief Shawn McKinney said. “Footage related to criminal cases may need to be stored anywhere between eight years and forever, and even non-evidentiary footage is stored for 31 days. These funds will contribute significantly as we store hundreds of terabytes of data.”

Officers have been using the body-worn cameras since August of 2021. The cameras record both audio and video, and also sync with in-car cameras installed in all marked cruisers.

Officers’ reactions to the body-worn camera program have been positive, McKinney said.

“Overall, it’s been a positive reaction,” he said. “Just like when we purchased the first in-car cameras in the late 1990s there was some trepidation, but in the vast majority of situations the cameras confirm the officers’ statement and frequently provide evidence in court.”

The department currently has a total of 30 body-worn cameras for 43 officers. Each camera cost $995 when purchased in 2021; however that cost does not include software, storage or maintenance.

Troy City Council approved an initial expenditure of $217,718 to purchase the body-worn cameras, cruiser cameras and related equipment; the Troy Foundation also contributed $18,000 to help start the program during its first year.

“Maintaining and improving the body worn and in-car cameras will be an ongoing expense,” McKinney said. “The initial purchase in 2021 is a six-year agreement that included the replacement of all 30 body cameras after three years. It also included a service agreement that covers most repairs to the in-car and body cameras.”